Clients of Caritas Khmelnytskiy visited Kyiv with own photo exhibition

26.06.2014, Kyiv
Summer is a hot season, it is time of school holidays, vacations, interesting trips and new acquaintances that leave memories for the whole year ahead. Beginning of this summer will stick in memory of Caritas Khmelnytskiy clients for a long time. Together with their teacher of “Rakurs” photo-class, professional photographer Anatoliy Ivanov, teenagers visited Ukraine’s capital and local Caritas organization.

This visit was aimed at exchange of experience, existing achievements and plans for future between organization employees and representatives of crisis youth. Caritas Khmelnytskiy taught art of photography and Caritas Kyiv presented success story of “Mria” football team that was formed in 2008 with the initiative of children from Ukraine’s capital city.

 

Daria Ivanishena, psychologist of Caritas in Khmelnytskiy, retells: “There was a simple task for our clients – ‘What can you personally do to achieve a stated goal?’. We got dozens of interesting, original and even funny ideas as answers. The majority of young people suggested to make something with their hands to earn money for a trip – it was their first independent step towards own goal. Having made a plan of further actions and having written some letters-requests to potential partners, we approached organization of this initiative.

As a result of painstaking work great number of fluffy toys were knitted for St. Valentine’s Day; key chains, pendants for bags, school rucksacks and mobile phones were made out of plastic. Then, we distributed these handiworks for charitable donations during mass events and among individuals who wanted to support us. All honestly earned money was used for trip of Caritas Khmelnytskiy clients to Kyiv.”

Photo exhibition “Moments of our life” was held in the premises of Caritas Kyiv and nearly 40 the best photo works of Caritas Khmelnytskiy clients were presented for invited guests and local Caritas clients. For 9 months teenagers had been mastering art of photography with help of local photographers-volunteers, and later, 8 of the most talented students received chance for chargeless studying in “Rakurs” photo-class in Khmelnytskiy museum of photo art, where they could learn from professionals of their craft, communicate with different photographers and visit photo exhibitions.

Moreover, guests from Khmelnytskiy organized a workshop on photography art, shared their knowledge and skills. “In such a manner we showed clients of Caritas in Kyiv how to realize own potential, get a creative profession and have additional earnings,” notes 16-year-old Dmytro from Khmelnytskiy.

“Photo sooshka” became a zest of this event. An obligatory condition to participate was to bring own photos, write on the reverse side wishes, contact information for further communication or unusual message for future photo owner. All photos – colored and black-and-white, big and small, professional and simply amateur – were hanged on the ropes with help of ordinary clothes pegs.

Everyone could take a photo he/she liked the most as a memento, sometimes they even asked an autograph. Photographer Anatoliy Ivanov, author and organizer of this idea, notes: “In such a manner every participant symbolically joined art of photography, got possibility to express oneself, made new acquaintances and received positive charge of energy.”

“Apart from studying process, we had a really great excursion in the city, in its course children took photos, received considerable number of exciting memories and used previously earned money to buy many souvenirs and sweet things for those who stayed home. We are grateful to Fr. Roman Syrotych, Director of Caritas Kyiv, for sincere reception and joyful time together!” shares her impressions psychologist of Caritas Khmelnytskiy Daria.